


Ink

by kaghani



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Airbending & Airbenders, Coming of Age, F/M, Romance, Traditions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-06
Updated: 2015-06-06
Packaged: 2018-04-03 04:30:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,880
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4086910
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kaghani/pseuds/kaghani
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's the day before Kai gets his Airbending tattoos, and he cannot wait. Just as he thinks there's nothing for for him to sort out, his girlfriend sorts something out for him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Ink

**Author's Note:**

> I don't own these characters pls believe me
> 
> I hope you enjoy the story!

It’s the afternoon before the day of the ceremony. In a dozen or so hours, Kai will have a bald head and Air Nomad arrow-tattoos. 

“Tomorrow! Can you believe that, boy?” Kai asks Lefty, letting go the reins to stroke the top of his head. Lefty lets out a rumbling groan in response and wildly flops his head around like he’s trying to nuzzle into something, causing them to swerve and lose a little altitude. Kai laughs, taking the reins again. “Okay, here we go, Lefty…attaboy…”

He guides Lefty down into a small, secluded meadow near the foothills of the Lichengbei Mountains. There’s a huge, flat boulder sitting right in the middle of it – a mountaintop that was blown off by Kuvira’s colossal mech just two years back. If you sit on the boulder and face west, there’s this great view of the sunset on a summer night. 

It’s Kai’s secret hideout – well, it  _used_ to be Kai’s secret hideout until his last birthday, when he’d brought Jinora out for some…alone time.

Don’t look at Kai, though! Jinora’s the one who starts it all the time, this “finding-somewhere-to-neck-behind-her-old-man’s-back” stuff. Seriously!

 _Anyway_ , it was Kai’s and Jinora’s secret hideout, until last month, when Opal and Kai had saved a southern agricultural Earth Republic district from being destroyed by a hurricane. They’d played it real blase, like it was nothing, but  _flying bisons_ , was that some job. 

It was a short-notice operation, so there was no time to radio for backup. It had been just the two of them, a planned patrol route over the Southern Sea, and some bizarre swirling wind patterns. As a matter of fact, it was lucky thing Opal insisted on stopping to get Juicy some water – which is accepted code for “a small bath”, that smelly thing – because next thing they knew, a massive, inescapable hurricane was headed straight to land. If they’d tried to fly through that, they would have gotten the Avatar Aang treatment. Minus the “survived-for-100-years-frozen-in-an-iceberg” part. 

Between Kai evacuating the people and the livestock, Opal shuttering the houses and protecting the fields, all while actually bending the air against the winds and high waves of the storm to minimize the damage, they’d hit on all sixes – by the time the festivities to celebrate their “heroics” were over, Opal and Kai had really been beat. It’s no wonder they’d crashed in the meadow on the way back to Air Temple Island. 

Tenzin and Jinora – Tenzin, that real bluenose, after endless lecturing on how Opal and Kai are going to have to work extra hard to get good at meditating, now, when no one besides Jinora really is – had surprised them a week afterward by announcing that the two of them were ready for their arrows. 

And that’s how Opal Beifong and Kai were proclaimed masters of airbending – and that’s also how Opal became the third person to know about the meadow.

Kai rummages through his pack for the small bundle of macaroons he’d pilfered out of the cupboard – old habits die hard – hops off of the saddle, and settles himself down gently on the boulder, stretching out his legs and leaning back on his elbows. Lefty sidles up to him and lets out a rumbly yawn. 

Kai sits like that for a long time: eating macaroons, stroking Lefty’s side, watching the sun slowly sink behind the distant mountains and fog, smelling the jasmine-lilies, listening to the cricket-toads – at least, whatever he can hear through Lefty’s snoring. 

“I’m going to get my arrows tomorrow, Lefty, and all you’ve got to say to your old pal is – ” Kai makes raucous, snorting noises, trying to imitate Lefty.

Just then, he sees a flash of bright blue and then nothing at all. For the smallest moment, Kai panics. Then, he smiles; the  _hands_ covering his eyes are trembling, and there are choked, hiccuping gasps coming from behind him. 

“Hey, there,” he greets, just as Jinora breaks out into full-on laughter.

“You…Kai, what the…” she manages, between fits of giggles. “How am I supposed to sneak up on you when you act so  _dorky_ like that!”

Kai grins. “What? It’s what you like best about me. My dorky sky bison impressions,” he says, earning himself a playful head-butt to the top of his head. 

 _Geez_. She killed him with her cute little gestures sometimes. All right, all the time.

“And if I may give you some advice, my rookie prankster-girlfriend, you should make your crucial move when you’re not about to die laughing.”

“I was already here!”Jinora protests, sliding her hands down so her arms circle his neck. “You would have heard me laughing, anyway! I figured if I was quiet enough, I could pull it off.”

Kai chuckles. He reaches up, takes her hands in his, and kisses them. The movement causes his elbows to no longer prop him up. He sort of falls back into her, and they both giggle like it’s the funniest thing that ever happened. When Jinora gets a look at his face, her eyes widen and her expression turns… _amused_. Then, she starts laughing even harder, for some reason. 

“ _What_?” Kai demands, running his hand over his face, catching a few cookie crumbs.  _Ah._

And then she presses her lips to his, promptly sending him into a daze.

“So you took the last macaroons,” Jinora softly says when she finally pulls away. “I wanted some after work today, you know.” But she’s stroking his cheeks – and is it just him, or does she still look amused? A little smug about catching him with his hand in the cookie jar? – so Kai figures she’s not too upset over it. 

“You got me. I’m the notorious macaroon thief, Councilwoman Jinora. Your mother’s macaroons are the reason I signed on for this ‘airbender for life’ gig.”

That gets a laugh out of her.

Jinora shifts around so that Kai’s slouching back, propped against her with his head on her collarbone and his arms draped over her knees. He can't see her face, but he _knows_ she's still smiling in that 'distantly amused' sort of way, like she's got a secret or something. He's a little suspicious, but he's a lot more happy to be around her. He wants to spend some relaxing time with her for a while before he get's to work ferreting out whatever it is.

“How’d you find me, anyway?” Kai knows – just likes hearing her admit to it.

“I spied on you using my spirit powers, obviously,” Jinora says, real smooth and blase, in that technical way of hers. 

Kai throws up his hands dramatically. “Jinora,” he drawls, like one of those mover stars. “We’ve been through this, darling. I am a free young man who will not be monitored, like some kind of lab rat-snake!”

“Oh, Kai, you love it when I spy on you.” Kai swears he can hear Jinora’s smile.

“Yeah,” he says, before his brain gives his mouth the permission. He finds he doesn’t really mind, though. “I definitely do.”

She kisses the top of his head, and then they stay quietly like that for a while. Well, minus Lefty and his loud snoring. 

It’s about ten times nicer here, with Jinora next to him. They’re just so busy all the time, between all the patrolling and helping along the Earth Empire’s transition to the new Republic. And, of course, Jinora, and her new position on Republic City’s council.  _Councilwoman Jinora_. Who would have ever imagined? Kai, with a  _government official_  for a girlfriend. 

Whenever Jinora’s close enough, she projects her spirit over to him to talk, ask him about his day and tell him about hers. She’ll never know how thankful Kai is for that power of hers – he wasn’t lying when he told her he appreciates her occasional spying. Talking to her, even just her presence or knowing that she’s close, is enough to calm him and make him feel safe. Like coming home. 

Jinora breaks the silence. “I thought I’d see you for lunch,” she says, softly, and runs a hand through his hair. “Opal was looking for you, something about getting your heads shaved together,” she giggles. “Korra came, you know. And all the airbenders.”

“Really?” Kai was surprised. He figured he’d just see them all the day after tomorrow, during the actual anointment. He scratches his head and shrugs. “I dunno, I ate a little bit early, and…I just wanted to be by myself for a little bit, you know? Before getting my arrows tomorrow and all.”

Jinora stiffens. “I figured. That’s why I didn’t call for you to come right away. Kai, if you want to be alone, I –”

“No! That’s not what I – I mean, you – I want you here,” Kai sputters. 

Jinora immediately relaxes, but she tenses in a different way, all full of this… sympathetic energy. “Kai, are you nervous about this? You didn’t seem nervous all week.” She’s not teasing – of course she’s not, she’s the most sensitive, wonderful person in the world – only considerate. She gets up from behind him and sits cross-legged by his side, watching him. Lefty stirs a little, but Jinora quickly strokes his flank with both her hands, craning her neck so she can keep her eyes on Kai.

Kai lets his eyes glaze over, staring unfocused at the pink glow of the sunset reflected in his palms. He’s got nothing to say, really. There’s just… _something_  that’s been making him a little bit restless all day. Maybe if he talks about it, Jinora could make some sense of it. “Nah, not nervous. I’ve wanted this for a really long time. I wanted it so much, and now I’m gonna get it.

“Sometimes…see, airbending is the best thing that ever happened to me. I was  _good_ at something, besides…you know, being a thief. And then  _you_ , and Bolin, and Opal, and the Air Nation…I have a purpose now. Seriously, this is the best life ever. And now I’m going to have bright blue arrows on me forever to…” he trails off, embarrassed. He tucks his knees under his chin. What is he even trying to say? He shakes his head, smiles sheepishly, and says aloud, “What am I even trying to say?”

He hears Jinora exhale loudly. When Kai looks up at her, she’s smiling warmly at him. 

“I think,” Jinora says, covering his hand with one of hers while rubbing Lefty’s belly with the other, “you might just be super happy, and you probably need an outlet for all your emotions. Additionally, you’re really attached to this hair.” She runs a hand through his hair for emphasis.

Kai chews on that for about five seconds, narrowing his eyes at her. Then, he lets out a huge puff of air and grins, ear to ear, shaking his head incredulously. “You nailed it. I don’t even believe you, right now. Do you have any idea how – how you’re the most wonderful person in the world?”

That last part comes out a little more reverently that Kai’d realized, and a blush blooms across Jinora’s cheeks. She waves her hand through the air, ‘no-big-deal’-like. She quickly snatches her hand out of the air and peers at him, which he thinks is a little weird, but she clasps them together in that 'Jinora' way that's entirely too cute. “I read a  _lot_  of novels. Ask me all your questions about intrapersonal issues. And all your questions about history, urban infrastructure, Fire Nation upper-class sensibilities … and romance.” She smiles.

“I got one,” Kai says, never one to miss this kind of opportunity. “I’m gonna kiss the most amazing person in the world.”

“That’s not even a question,” Jinora declares, taking up that mock-technical attitude, even as the pink stain on her cheeks darkens, “Although, it would be excellent emotional outlet, and considering that the ‘amazing person’ in question wouldn’t mind too much –”

“Gahh, okay, okay.” Kai says, throwing up his hands in mock defeat, still smiling. “Lecture me, take your time. My lips are only chapping in this…mountain chill, you know.”

Jinora settles in his lap, leans over him, and gently takes his face in her hands. Her eyes are dancing with mirth and warmth. “ _Kai_. You’re going to do great things as an airbending master.”

They’re both still smiling as they kiss. When they break apart, Kai traces the arrow on her forehead with his fingertips.

“You can do this to me, starting tomorrow,” he says, absently.

Thankfully, Jinora starts speaking before he can cringe at how stupid he’d just sounded. “So, does that mean you’re all ready for tomorrow?”

“Ready for my arrows? I can’t wait. Getting my head shaved? I can wait.”

She laughs, and then studies his hair, ruffling it. She softly says, “Me too.”

Kai sits up and grins. “You’re gonna miss it, aren’t you? Running your hands through your boyfriend’s gorgeous hair.”

He waggles his eyebrows at her, and Jinora just rolls her eyes. “I thinkyou’re going to miss your  _gorgeous hair_  a lot, lot more.” She gently scrapes her nails through the scalp of his undercut, and Kai shivers. The tremor’s not lost on Jinora, who smiles against his ear and kisses it lightly. “But I’ll miss it, too.”

Kai’s about to lean up for another smooch, when his eyes catch on something bright…is that  _blue ink_ on Lefty’s fur? Kai squints at it, and … the way she’d laughed at his face – oh, seriously?

His hands fly to his face, and then he reaches for Jinora’s hands, to study her palms, but she’s vanished.

“Over here, young Master Kai!” Jinora waves her hands – stained blue with tattoo ink?! – standing at the leveled top of a mountain. “Still think I’m a rookie?”

“ _Jinora_!”

By the time Kai gets Lefty awake and moving, let alone flying, Jinora’s got about a half a mile of lead on him. Even without a bison, Jinora moves crazy fast. Kai and Lefty try to keep up, Kai demanding of her whether or not he’ll need to worry about Tenzin kicking him out of the Air Nation for having permanent Jinora-hand-shaped tattoos on his face. 

They  _can’t_ be permanent, can they? No way _._  Jinora would’ve never let her hands be permanently stained blue, or let his face be permanently stained blue…where it’s  _not supposed to be_  stained blue! 

Ahead of them, Jinora ricochets from mountain to mountain on the sides of her path with powerful, efficiently-timed gusts of air – efficient enough for her to spare breaths in-between to laugh. She tucks her feet in each time, curling into a ball before pushing her feet off the next mountain with loud  _thud!_ s. It’s awesome to watch – and a little frightening. He has to remind himself that she’s been an airbender all her life and that she’s ridiculously dedicated.

Watching Jinora, Kai decides he’s going to learn all her super-advanced-airbending ways. After all, if there’s any one piece of knowledge Kai had to choose to keep after six years of being a part of the Air Nation, it was that you never stop learning when you have such great people around you. That’s probably what mastery – at least for Kai – is all about: to reach a point where you never stop trying to be better at what you do.

…Which sounded exhausting, but in a good way. Kai finds himself smiling, even as he faces potential excommunication for having possible permanent evidence of Jinora on his face with traditional airbender tattoo ink –  _oh_ , he couldn’t even think about it.

* * *

 

When Kai swoops into the temple hall around nightfall, Opal’s standing at the window with her arms crossed and foot tapping. Acolytes surround the barber from Zaofu, Suyin Beifong’s personal, trusted, certified, guaranteed,  _whatever_ family hairdresser. The old man seems unfazed by the barrage of instructions on how absolutely careful he needs to be and which oils to use in order for the skin to not be too sensitive for the tattooing. 

Opal turns around when she hears Kai come in.

“ _You_ look like you’ve had a great time,” she greets, hands on her hips. A grudging smile pulls at the corner of her mouth, and her foot stops tapping. She reaches out and rubs his cheek with one sleeve-covered thumb.

“It’s not permanent,” Kai announces with a grin.

She looks at him sharply. Then she smiles and sticks her bright blue tongue out at him. “Good thing you told me,” she says, rolling her eyes, “Bolin and I were planning on fighting Ikki and Meelo for sharing some kua-loa berries with us.”

"Bolin? No way. He’d walk around town like the big cheese with his tongue hanging out of his mouth.”

“How did you know?” Opal asks, poking him in the shoulder, eyes wide and incredulous. They both burst out laughing. 

“Are you ready, dears?” An older acolyte, Jilla, smiles warmly at them. She gestures to the floor, where they’ve set up two cushioned seats, with hair grooming paraphernalia neatly arranged around them.

“I’m ready,” Opal says, puffing out her chest a little. She turns to Kai, and smiles proudly. They grasp each other’s wrists and squeeze. They drop their handshake and step forward. 

“I’m ready,” Kai says. 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! I'd appreciate feedback a lot!!
> 
> (Also, in case I didn't explain it well, Jinora helped make the tattoo ink, by crushing the berries that stain it!)


End file.
